Anchoring device



April 24, 1934. A, B. BULLARD ANCHORING DEVICE Filed March 21. 1931 n ewe Patented Apr. 24, 1934 NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ANCHORING DEVICE Arthur B. Bullard, Ashland, Mo.

Application March 21, 1931, Serial No. 524,245

2 Claims. (01. 18931) This invention relates generally to anchoring devices, and particularly to a device for anchoring a metal fence post in the earth.

Metal fence posts, although particularly desirable in many respects, have not heretofore gone into extensive use principally for the reason that under ordinary circumstances it is essential that they be set in concrete or some other means provided to prevent the loosening of the post in the ground. It is recognized that a metal fence post need not be of the dimensions for a wooden fence post, and for this reason metal fence posts are generally made of such small dimensions that they readily loosen within the soil so that they are of little or no value in supporting the fence, and, in fact, in many instances the fence supports the post.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an anchoring device which is so constructed that it can not only be readily driven into the ground, but which, when in place, will secure the anchoring device in the ground.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of this invention as applied to a fence post constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being in their collapsed position;

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation of the fence post shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a View of the fence post shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the parts in position while the fence post is being driven into the soil;

Figure 4 is a view of the fence post when the parts are in their final earth-engaging position; and

Figure 5 is a view of a slightly modified form of a fence post constructed in accordance with this invention.

In accordance with this invention, the anchoring device, such as a fence post, has a shank or post adapted to be driven into the ground; a plate is attached to this post and an abutment extends angularly from this plate, while an anchor is pivoted on this plate for movement against said post and abutment, respectively. The plate, while being wider than the post, is rigid and comparatively narrow tov permit the post and its attached plate to be readily driven. In order to additionally effect this purpose, the plate is uninterrupted and free from formations which may impede its progress while being driven, while the abutment is attached medially to,

and preferably separately attached to, the plate. In accordance with an embodiment of this invention, means can also be provided on the post for moving the anchor from position against the post.

Referring now to the drawing, an anchoring device such as a fence post 1 is preferably of metal structure, such as, for instance, an angle iron, and is provided at the lower end thereof with a pointed part 2. A plate 3.0f tapered form is provided at the pointed end 2 and mounted adjacent one edge of the post 1 to provide lateral wings. It will be apparent from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2 that the plate 3 is of a substan tially greater width than the post 1, but is comparatively narrow and with the tapered edges of the plate extended so as to permit the post to be readily driven into the ground. The tapered plate 3'may be mounted upon the post 1 by any suitable means, such as, for instance, riveting or welding lugs 4 thereon to the body of the post, these lugs extending through one of the post angles and being attached to the other post angle. The plate 3 is described above as of substantially greater width than the post 1, but yet comparatively narrow. This expression as used here and in the appended claims is intended to specify a structure ofproportions approximately as illustrated in which the plate 3 is approximately three times the width of the post 1.

At the upper edge of the plate 3, a plurality of loops 5 are provided for respective engagement with holes 6 formed in a plate 7 which provides an anchor. It is apparent that the loops 5 cooperate with the holes 6 to form a hinged connection between the plates 3 and 7, and that any other suitable hinge may be provided in this relation.

The plate 7 is provided with a curved portion 8 along the edge thereof remote from the hinge connection 56, and the plate 7 is preferably of a considerably greater width than the width of the flange or angle of the fence post 1, in order, as pointed out above, to obtain a surface having a suificient area to prevent loosening of the post within the soil or withdrawal from the ground.

Another tapered member 9 is provided at right angles to the plate 3 and secured thereto by any suitable means, such as, for instance, by welding or riveting the flanges 10 thereof to the plate 3.

into the soil. The upper horizontal face 11 of the plate 9 forms an abutment for limiting the movement of the plate 7 about its hinge connection 56.

A lever 12 may be pivotally mounted upon a pin 13 carried by the post 1 and disposed for movement thereon. The lever 12 is provided with an end 14 in abutting relation to the plate '7. At the other end of the lever 12, a link 15 is pivotally connected. The link 15 extends upwardly alongside the post 1 and preferably lying in close relation thereto, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Figure 2, and at its upper end is connected with a lever 16. The lever 16 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 17 carried by the post 1.

It is thus apparent from an inspection of Figure 1, that when the lever 16 is rotated about its pivot 17 in a clockwise direction, the lever 12 will likewise be rotated about its pivot 13, and the end 14 thereof will tend to force the plate 7 outwardly from the post.

When a fence post constructed in accordance with the present invention is applied, it is apparent that the plate '7 is placed in the position shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, and the post 1 may then be driven into the soil by any suitable device, such as, for instance, a mall, the pointed parts 2 and 9 and the tapered edges of the plate 3 facilitating in the insertion of the post into the soil. When the post has been driven into the ground for a sufficient distance in order to bring the parts into position substantially as illustrated in Figure 3, where the pointed end of the post, as

well as the plate 7 and the curved end 8 thereof, are disposed substantially beneath the surface 18 of the ground, the leverl6 may then be grasped and an upward force applied thereto by a workman. When such an upward force is applied to the outer end of the lever 16, it is apparent that the post 1 will be lifted from the position illustrated in Figure 3 and that the lever 12 will be so rotated to initiate an outward movement of the plate '7 away from the post 1, the curved part 3 thereof operating to cut a path through the soil and thus to facilitate movement thereof in an outward sidewise direction. It may be here pointed out, however, that it is not necessary for the end 14 of the lever 12 to be continuously operable to force the plate 7 outwardly, since the plate will, after being initiated in an outward direction, continue its outward movement upon further application of an upward force'upon the post 1. When the post 1 has been sufficiently lifted to bring the parts into the position shown in Figure 4-, it is apparent that the plate '7 extends substantially at right angles to the body of the post 1, the end 8 thereof having dug its way outwardly from the post so that the flat surface of the plate '7 presents a substantial area when in contact with the soil. In a fence post constructed in accordance with this embodiment, it is apparent that the plate 9 operates to prevent further movement of the plate 7 about its hinge connection, as illustrated in Figure 1, thus insuring that the fence post 1 will not be pulled outwardly for such a distance that the effect of the plate 7 will be lost. When the parts have reached the position illustrated in Figure 4, it is apparent that the handle 16 may then be dropped in order to bring the same, as well as the link 15 and the lever 12, into substantial alinement with the post 1.

In Figure 5', another embodiment of this inveii-' tion is shown and comprises such a plate as 7 mounted upon opposite sides of the post 1. the construction illustrated in Figure 5, a pair of toggle links 19 are pivotally connected to a link 20. It is understood that the link 20 connects at the upper end thereof with a lever similar to the lever 16. Any suitable device for guiding the movement of the toggle links"19, such as, for instance, a pivoted staple 21 in engagement with each of them may be provided so that upon movement of the link 20 in an upward direction, the toggle links 19 will be spread thereby operating in a manner similar to the lever 12 in the embodiment previously described for initiating the plates 7 in an outward direction.

It will be particularly noted, by reference to Figure 2, that while the plate 3 is wider than the post 1, it is comparatively narrow and free from formations which may impede its progress, while the abutment 9 is arranged medially of the plate 3. Moreover, it will be noted that at the top and where the anchor 8 is attached, the plate 3 is uninterrupted so as to be rigid as well as free from formations, thereby enhancing the strength of the structure. These features serve to provide an anchoring device which may be readily driven while still providing an efiicient anchor when in place. 7

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that a metal fence posthas been provided which may, without the use of concrete or any other expensive or inconvenient means, be rigidly applied with little effort. It is furthermore apparent that many modifications of the embodiments hereinbefore described will present themselves to those skilled in the art, which will not depart from the spirit of this invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the foregoing description and the illustrations in the accompanying drawing are merely an exemplification of the principles involved in a preferred embodiment of this invention, and that such modifications thereof as do not depart from the spirit of this invention are, although not specifically described in the foregoing description, contemplated by and within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An anchoring device of the character described, comprlsing, a post adapted to be driven into the ground, a plate attached to said post, an abutment extending angularly from said plate, an anchor pivoted to said plate for movement against said post and abutment respectively, said plate being wider than saidpost but comparatively narrow to permit the post and its attached plate to be readily driven, and means on said post for moving said anchor from a position against said post.

2. An anchoring device of the character described, comprising, a post adapted to be driven into the ground, a rigid uninterrupted plate continuous at its upper edge attached to said post near its lower end, an abutment separately attached to and extending angularly from said plate, andan anchor pivoted to said plate for movement against said post and said abutment respectively, said plate being wider than said post but comparatively narrow to permit the post and its attached plate to be readily driven.

ARTHUR B. BULLARD. 

